Canteen with solid food compartment

ABSTRACT

A canteen includes a canteen body which confines a compartment for storing refreshments therein, a food container which has a container body that is mounted to a base of the canteen body and that confines a compartment for storing solid food therein, and a base plate that is mounted on an open bottom of the container body and that is formed with an access hole to access the compartment of the container body, and a cover plate which is mounted movably to the food container so as to cover selectively the access hole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a canteen, more particularly to a canteen witha compartment for receiving solid food therein.

2. Description of the Related Art

Snacks and refreshments are usually brought along when camping.Refreshments, such as water and other liquids, are stored in a canteen,while snacks, such as candies and the like, are placed in a separate bagor container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a canteen with acompartment for receiving solid food therein.

Accordingly, the canteen of the present invention comprises: a canteenbody which confines a compartment for storing refreshments therein; afood container which includes a container body that is mounted to a baseof the canteen body and that confines a compartment for storing solidfood therein, and a base plate that is mounted on an open bottom of thecontainer body and that is formed with an access hole to access thecompartment of the container body; and a cover plate which is mountedmovably to the container so as to cover selectively the access hole.

The cover plate is disposed below the base plate and is mountedrotatably to the base plate. The cover plate is formed with openingwhich is to be aligned selectively with the access hole.

Preferably, the container body is mounted removably to the base of thecanteen body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of acanteen according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view illustrating a cover plate of the firstpreferred embodiment when in a closed position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodimentwhich illustrates the cover plate when in the closed position;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view illustrating the cover plate of the firstpreferred embodiment when in an open position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodimentwhich illustrates the cover plate when in the open position; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view of the second preferredembodiment of a canteen according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, the first preferred embodiment of a canteenaccording to the present invention is shown to comprise a canteen body1, a food container 2 and a cover plate 3.

The canteen body 1 includes a cylindrical vessel 11 which confines acompartment 12 for storing refreshments, such as water or other liquids,therein. A cap 13 is mounted removably on an open top of the cylindricalvessel 11 to close the compartment 12. The cylindrical vessel 11 isprovided with a strap 14 to facilitate carrying of the canteen body 1.Finally, the cylindrical vessel 11 has a base that is formed with anexternally threaded connecting portion 111.

The food container 2 includes a container body 21 and a base plate 22.The container body 21 is configured as a seat for the cylindrical vessel11 of the canteen body 1 and has an annular surrounding wall 213. Thesurrounding wall 213 has a distal top section formed with an internallythreaded connecting portion 211 which is capable of mating removablywith the connecting portion 111 of the cylindrical vessel 11, a topplate 212 disposed below the distal top section, and a flaring bottomsection 214. The container body 21 confines a compartment 216 which isaccessible through an open bottom 215 defined by the bottom section 214.The base plate 22 includes a circular plate body 221 aligned with theopen bottom 215. The plate body 221 is formed with a central positioninghole 222 and an eccentric fan-shaped access hole 223. Preferably, thesize of the access hole 223 should not be larger than one-half of thecover plate 3. The plate body 221 is further formed with an upwardlyprojecting peripheral rim 224 which is capable of engaging the flaringbottom section 214 of the container body 21, and a downwardly projectingsupport ring 225. The support ring 225 is formed with a pair ofdiametrically opposite notches 226, as shown in FIG. 2.

The cover plate 3 serves to cover selectively the access hole 223. Thecover plate 3 is disposed below the base plate 22 and is confinedrotatably by the support ring 225. The cover plate 3 includes a circularplate body 31 which is provided with an upwardly projecting centralpositioning pin 311 that is extendible through the positioning hole 222in the base plate 22. The plate body 31 is further formed with aneccentric fan-shaped opening 312 which is to be aligned selectively withthe access hole 223 and which is slightly smaller than the latter, and adownwardly projecting handle 313.

Assembly of the first preferred embodiment is performed as follows:Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover plate 3 is disposed below the baseplate 22, and the positioning pin 311 is extended through thepositioning hole 222. The tip of the positioning pin 311 is melted toexpand its size and mount rotatably and non-removably the cover plate 3to the base plate 22 in the support ring 225. The peripheral rim 224 ofthe base plate 22 engages the flaring bottom section 214 of thecontainer body 21 to mount the base plate 22 to the container body 21.The connecting portion 211 of the container body 21 engages threadedlythe connecting portion 111 of the cylindrical vessel 11 to mountremovably the food container 2 to the canteen body 1.

In use, the compartment 12 of the canteen body 1 stores refreshments,such as water or other liquids, therein. The base plate 22 is detachedfrom the container body 21 when storing solid food, such as gum,candies, nuts, chocolates and the like, in the compartment 216 of thefood container 2. The base plate 22 is replaced on the container body 21when the compartment 216 is filled. Thus, the canteen of this inventionfacilitates bringing of both refreshments and snacks due to theprovision of an additional compartment for receiving solid food therein.

Initially, the opening 312 in the cover plate 3 is misaligned with theaccess hole 223 in the food container 2. Thus, the cover plate 3 coversthe access hole 223. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, when retrieving solidfood from the food container 2, the handle 313 is operated to rotate thecover plate 3 so as to align the opening 312 with the access hole 223,thereby permitting retrieving of the solid food in the compartment 216of the food container 2. The handle 313 is operated to rotate the coverplate 3 so as to close the access hole 223 after retrieving food fromthe food container 2.

Since the food container 2 is detachable from the canteen body 1, thefood container 2 can be separated from the canteen body 1 whenretrieving food therefrom.

FIG. 6 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of a canteenaccording to the present invention. As shown, the second preferredembodiment is substantially similar to the previous embodiment. However,in the second preferred embodiment, the container body 41 and the baseplate 42 of the food container 4 are formed integrally. The containerbody 41 has a distal top section formed with an internally threadedconnecting portion 411 which is capable of mating removably with thebase of the canteen body 1, and confines a compartment 43. The baseplate 42 is formed with a central positioning hole 421 and an eccentricaccess hole 422. The cover plate 5 is disposed below the base plate 42and is formed with an eccentric opening 51 which is to be alignedselectively with the access hole 422. The cover plate 5 is furtherformed with a downwardly projecting support ring 53 that has a pair ofdiametrically opposite notches 52 (only one notch 52 is shown). A handle54 projects inwardly and radially from the support ring 53.

The connection between the food container and the canteen body shouldnot be limited to the threaded connection described beforehand. Otherforms of connection can be used as long as the food container can bedetached from the canteen body. In addition, a hook member (not shown)may be employed instead of the positioning pin when mounting rotatablythe cover plate to the base plate of the food container.

The support ring, which is formed with a pair of notches, is used toprevent water spilled on a table surface from reaching the compartmentof the food container. The handle facilitates rotation of the coverplate.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

I claim:
 1. A canteen, comprising:a canteen body which confines acompartment for storing refreshments therein; a food container whichincludes a container body that is mounted to a base of said canteen bodyand that confines a compartment for storing solid food therein, and abase plate that is mounted on an open bottom of said container body andthat is formed with an access hole to access said compartment of saidcontainer body; and a cover plate which is mounted movably to said foodcontainer so as to cover selectively said access hole; wherein saidcover plate is disposed below said base plate and is mounted rotatableto said base plate, said cover plate being formed with an opening whichis to be aligned selectively with said access hole.
 2. The canteen asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said base plate is formed with a downwardlyprojecting support ring, said support ring confining rotatably saidcover plate therein and being formed with at least one notch.
 3. Thecanteen as claimed in claim 1, wherein said container body is mountedremovably to said base of said canteen body.
 4. The canteen as claimedin claim 3, wherein said base of said canteen body is formed with anexternally threaded connecting portion, said container body having a topsection formed with an internally threaded connecting portion whichengages threadedly said connecting portion on said base of said canteenbody.
 5. The canteen as claimed in claim 1, wherein said container bodyhas a flaring bottom section which defines said open bottom, said baseplate being formed with an upwardly projecting peripheral rim whichengages said flaring bottom section to mount said base plate to saidcontainer body.
 6. The canteen as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coverplate is formed with a downwardly projecting handle.